Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg is an independent city in Virginia, located 45 miles south of Washington DC and 58 miles north of Richmond. The land was patented in 1671, and a fort was established just downriver from the city in 1676. In 1720, Spotsylvania County was formed, and Fredericksburg became a port for the county in 1728; it was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales, the son of King George II. From 1732 to 1780, Fredericksburg served as the county seat of Spotsylvania County, but it became an independent town in 1781. During the American Civil War, Fredericksburg was strategically important, as it was a port midway between Washington DC and Richmond. During the 11-15 December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, the town was damaged by a Union bombardment and by plundering on the part of the Union soldiers. After the war, the city returned to being a center for local trade and slowly grew in size, becoming an independent city in 1879. During the 1960s, Fredericksburg grew as a commuter town, and it became a bedroom community for commuter jobs in northern Virginia and Washington during the 1970s. In 2017, Fredericksburg had a population of 28,360 people.